NASA's Kennedy Space Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary by opening its gates for virtual tours through a partnership with Google Maps.

The launch pads that sent Americans to the moon, probes to distant planets and space shuttles into Earth orbit are just a few clicks away through Google's largest special collection of Street View imagery to date, totaling 6,000 panoramic images of Kennedy.

Users may go directly to Google Maps, search for "NASA Shuttle Landing Facility," and drag the orange "pegman" icon on the left-hand side to an area outlined in blue. From there, users can navigate around the area by moving up and down pathways and looking around in 360 degrees. The entire collection of images also is available in the Google Street View gallery.

The Street View feature in Google Maps enables users to see Kennedy as it transitions to the multipurpose launch complex of the future, revamping existing infrastructure and facilities to provide the flexibility to host a variety of commercial and government spacecraft, rockets and other craft.

rwhite502

Neat! Firing Room 1 appears to be "locked."

Sign on the door of FR2 - "Abandon in Place" - how sad.

LM1

Looks like Endeavour and Atlantis are both in the VAB at the same time. When were these images taken?

rjscott

quote:Originally posted by LM1:When were these images taken?

The images are dated January 2012.

ilbasso

These are much more exciting that the Google Street View of my house. The Street View camera managed to get a back-end shot of my wife bending over while picking up sticks in our yard!